Searcy High School is giving all its students the chance to fall in love with a prom outfit and say ‘this is the one.’

For five years, Searcy High School Prom Closet has been providing that wonderful feeling for girls and guys who may not be able to afford a dress or tux for the special night. With the help of women’s social club Delta Nu, they are also able to provide hair and makeup services on the day of prom.

Sara Dacus, an English teacher at AHLF Junior High School, helped start Prom Closet which was formed after she realized she had formal dresses she no longer had a need for.

“We do feel like prom is an important rite of passage — a very important experience — and we didn’t want any of our students who wanted to participate not be able to,” Dacus said.“We wanted to remove any barriers that might keep them from coming if they wanted to come. We do believe it is a special rite of passage, a special evening, a memorable night.”

Prom Closet is not just about getting dresses for prom, but is also a service to help those students get ready and prepare for the night ahead of them. Junior Averie Womack volunteered with Delta Nu to provide hair and makeup services for Prom Closet. She said it is so important to have good volunteers who are willing to sacrifice a couple hours to be there for these students.

“Especially for them being in high school, it is one of the most important nights for them, so they deserve to feel beautiful and have that time to have fun getting ready,” Womack said.

Junior Mary Fenner, another volunteer for Prom Closet, enjoys getting to spend time with her fellow club members while also getting to know the girls she helps.

“It was so fun to see their excitement when they have their hair done and their makeup done and they put their dress on and everything was finally together,” Fenner said.

During Prom Closet, volunteers and students’ bond over this monumental day in the high schoolers’ life. Womack said getting to be there for them and get to know them is one of her favorite parts of the whole experience.

“People who want to be there and want to talk to them about their dresses and what they are going to wear is really important for them because maybe they do not have anyone else at home that they can have that with,” Womack said.